Pacers set to sign Larry Nance Jr., make additional moves around the edges
The Pacers will reportedly sign the veteran forward to a minimum deal for one year, $3.88 million deal which filled out the team's 15-man roster for a few hours.
According to multiple reports starting with Shams, the Pacers plan to sign Larry Nance Jr. to a veteran minimum deal for next season. The salary comes in at $3.88 million but as Tony East explains (listen here for cap explanations), the cap hit is only $2.45 million which will still require some contractual gymnastics and or waiving a non-guaranteed contract (Micah Potter or Quinten Jackson) to remain under the first apron.
Tax implications don’t have to be settled in the summer, so what is more intriguing is the roster revamp that suddenly has an excess of lengthy forwards, a luxury I’ve been pining for the past few years. Add ‘em up. Siakam, Obi, Oubre, Nance and Jarace all check in with wingspans in excess of 7’1.
That size makes more since for Nance to assume a third string center option, a role which opened up after the Pacers released Micah Potter and his non-guaranteed salary to create cap space under the first apron. Essentially Obi and Nance could fill a reserve center role with Jay Huff pending game-to-game circumstances and matchups.
Nance has been in the NBA for 11 seasons, primarily as a reserve player and at his best a spot starter. At his best on the floor, Nance has been comfortable playing out of the dunker spot as a solid three-point threat from the corners and top of the key.
Any bench player that lasts that long in the NBA brings more than on court talent to the roster. Nance has a great reputation as a connector and quality teammate. The ultimate vibes guy, if you will, in the category of how James Johnson and his veteran voice were important to the Pacers chemistry in recent playoff runs despite not playing at all. Nance could at least play more when called on.
On Thursday, the Pacers announced Kobe Brown will sign a two-way contract with the Pacers which was a big surprise considering the excess of players vying for a two-way deal. Jalen Slawson, Taelon Peter and Brandon Smith started summer league as the most likely two-way guys with Ethan Thompson, playing FIBA ball for Puerto Rico also an option.
Brown was expected to be the odd man out as a veteran player despite his very solid reserve play for the Pacers last year after coming over in the Ivica Zubac trade. His veteran status would command too much minimum salary to fit in the 15th spot. Brown’s improvement shooting from behind the arc certainly altered his outlook with the team. With the Clippers, KB didn’t shoot many threes and struggled when he did, but with the Pacers last year, he made 43% of his 90 3PAs in just 27 games.
Brown is another 6’7 wing with 7-foot wingspan heading into his prime years so keeping him playing with the Boom and Pacers. Among the five guys vying for the two-way spots, Brown suddenly seems most likely to remain in the mix.
Reports of Braden Smith agreeing to sign a two-way during the draft seem to make him a lock, as well. That leaves Slawson, Taelon Peter and Ethan Thompson for the final spot. Despite how much I love what Slawson brings to the floor, he may be odd man out due to all of the similar forwards mentioned above.
One wild card could be that Braden Smith the is either already playing better than expected or worse. If better, he could fit a rookie minimum salary into the 15 spot on the main roster. If worse, well…that would stink and he’d be released. Again, a two-way deal for the rookie point guard is still expected.
So, that’s a lot of info on several guys the Pacers hope don’t have to have an impact on a healthy and talented roster for the upcoming season.
Smith, Peter and Slawson will be in action on Friday afternoon with the Summer Pacers in Vegas when they take on the Summer Cavaliers at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.